A view from Main Street America by a congenital Democrat and truth-seeking attorney. Proud Member of the Reality-Based Community. Posting on the Internets since 2004.

Wednesday, May 24, 2006

Dr. Haddad Getting The Hook

From private reprimand to quick exit: Dr. Robert Haddad is being ushered out the door of the Caritas Christi Catholic Hospitals, with a nice little severance package, because rich men always get money on their way out the door. Wonder if the 14 women who've come forward with allegations will get a little something extra in their paychecks? Of course not.

The head of Boston's Catholic hospital system, facing a cascade of accusations that he sexually harassed female employees, will leave his job, participants involved in the process said yesterday.

They said that whether Dr. Robert M. Haddad resigns or is fired as president of the Caritas Christi Health Care System depends on whether he will accept a severance package that Cardinal Sean P. O'Malley can publicly justify for someone accused of serial sexual misconduct.

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The cardinal, according to one adviser, was taken aback by Haddad's statement to the Globe, reported yesterday, that he ``never acted inappropriately" with the four women, even though he had accepted the reprimand for behavior that the archdiocese characterized as sexual harassment.

``This is harassment," said Wally Zainoun, a Newton business owner gathering up oranges and olive oil. ``I don't like that, saying because he is Lebanese, he is kissing his employees [on the lips]. Why is it because he is Lebanese? It's part of our culture to show our warmth with kisses. I don't see a problem with that. But no. Not on the lips! That's unacceptable, whether you're Lebanese or Chinese or whatever.

Haddad's misconduct, which he has characterized as nothing more than effusive friendliness, was such an open secret that Helen G. Drinan, the executive vice president for human resources at Caritas who argued unsuccessfully for his immediate dismissal, received a bouquet of flowers this week from the nurses at St. Elizabeth's Medical Center in Brighton.